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  Discussion on Is rest a safe first option treatment for possible sesamoiditis?
Author Message
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2004 - 4:07 pm:

Dear Dr O

I know, you can't tell not seeing the horse, having access to diagnostic tools etc... but really I'm just asking, would it be possible I could make this worse by just trying out a good rest first?

My 13 yo 7/8 TB eventing mare has always had a turned in right fore foot. Since she had a stable accident about 5 years ago (when her tendons were ultrasounded and came up OK but I had to rest her for a couple of months) she's always been a small bit dodgy on that leg especially if the ground is hard and there's a lot of work.

But - and it may be something entirely different to the previous problem - she is now noticeably lame (uneven but not "dog-lame") on this leg for the past couple of weeks with some thickening and swelling on the inside of the fetlock - if you run your fingers down the flexor tendon, the swelling is just above where the tendon can't be felt externally any more because of the fetlock attachment.

If you are riding and adjust the trot diagonal to sit when that foreleg is on the ground, she starts to head-nod slightly too (ie it's worse with extra weight on that leg).

Initially I thought she had just banged herself on something in the field and it didn't seem to be getting worse so I just gave her a week off for the "bruise" to go down. I rode her tonight but it's no better.

To try and be more specific the swelling, after looking at your sesamoiditis articles and fetlock anatomy pictures, seems to be between the proximal suspensory ligament and the deep flexor tendon at a height about half-way to two-thirds of the way up the the annular ligament.

She's too old to be spending serious money on and I'm also broke at the moment. If she's not in pain (and she doesn't look to be as long as she's not being ridden) and I can manage to get her back sound and hopefully keep her sound enough for breeding and a little bit of hacking I'll be happy. If I can still do a couple of hunter trials a year on her (she's brilliant at them) I'll be delirious.

So I think I will give her a month off after which I will send her to the stud. If she's still lame when she comes back then I'll take her to the specialist equine vet practice here to get it properly diagnosed. I always knew from when I bought her that the conformation problem was likely to mean her riding life would be reduced by arthritis etc. if nothing else.

Is it likely I could make things worse by doing this (delaying taking her to the vet until finding out what a period of rest can do) or is it a reasonable first option?

Or should I take her to the vet if nothing else in order to get bute for swelling/pain or to rule out something where prompt treatment might improve the prospects for a return to light work?

All the best

Imogen
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Apr 4, 2004 - 9:56 am:

Unfortunately Imogen you are right, I cannot guess whether or not prompt veterinary care at this point will influence the outcome. I do know many injuries to muscoskeletal system have a improved outcome with appropriate rest and early aniti-inflammatory therapy like bute. Appropriate rest can vary from absolute stall rest up to decreasing the amount of time under saddle depending on the injury.
DrO

Member:
Imogen

Posted on Monday, Apr 5, 2004 - 3:01 am:

Thanks. I have to take her to be swabbed in the next few days anyway so I will book to do that with the specialist equine vet rather than the general large animal vet and get the lameness exam done at the same time too.

All the best

Imogen
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